CINCINNATI (Interstat) — JJ Bleday homered twice and drove in six runs, Chase Burns threw six scoreless innings and the Cincinnati Reds avoided a three-game sweep by routing the Washington Nationals 15-1 on Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

Bleday, the Reds’ designated hitter, finished 3 for 5 with his fifth and sixth home runs of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth inning and a two-run blast in the seventh. He also singled in a run in the eighth, raising his RBI total to a season-high six. The performance capped a series in which Bleday went 6 for 11 with eight RBIs after collecting one hit in each of the previous two games against Washington.

Burns (5-1) allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked two in winning his fourth consecutive decision. The 23-year-old right-hander worked around a three-error fifth inning by the Reds — one of which was his own after dropping a toss while covering first base — to keep the Nationals scoreless. He has allowed only one earned run over his last three starts.

Foster Griffin (4-2) took the loss for Washington, allowing six runs on six hits over four innings. He struck out three and walked three.

Cincinnati broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning that turned a 2-0 lead into a 6-0 advantage. Matt McLain started the rally with a two-run homer in the second inning, but the Reds added four more in the fourth on a two-run single by Jose Trevino and a two-run double by Ke’Bryan Hayes.

The Reds sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth. After Spencer Steer singled and Bleday flied out, Blake Dunn walked and McLain walked to load the bases. Trevino then singled to center field, the ball deflected by shortstop CJ Abrams, scoring Steer and Dunn. Hayes followed with a double to left field, scoring McLain and Trevino. Dane Myers struck out to end the inning.

Cincinnati extended its lead to 9-0 in the fifth. Elly De La Cruz led off with a double, Sal Stewart flied out, and Steer walked. Bleday then crushed a 2-1 pitch to right-center field for a three-run homer, his fifth of the season, scoring De La Cruz and Steer. Blake Dunn grounded out and McLain flied out to end the inning.

Bleday struck again in the seventh. De La Cruz singled with one out, and Bleday followed with a two-run homer to right-center, his sixth of the year, making it 11-0. Dunn struck out to end the inning.

The Nationals finally scored in the eighth. Drew Millas led off with a single off reliever Luis Mey. Joey Wiemer struck out, Luis García Jr. walked on a challenged pitch call, and Brady House grounded into a force out that left Millas at third and eliminated García at second. José Tena struck out to end the inning, leaving Millas stranded.

Cincinnati put the game away with a four-run eighth. McLain doubled to left, Trevino popped out, and Hayes singled to put runners at the corners. Myers then homered to left-center, his second of the season, scoring McLain and Hayes. Will Benson singled, Sal Stewart walked, and Steer flied out. Bleday singled to right, scoring Benson, and Dunn flied out to end the inning.

Washington managed only three hits off three Reds pitchers. Luis García Jr. doubled in the sixth, Jorbit Vivas doubled in the third, and Millas singled in the eighth. The Nationals struck out 11 times and left five runners on base.

Burns allowed only the doubles to Vivas and García. He threw 71 pitches, 42 for strikes, and induced 12 swings and misses. The Reds bullpen completed the game with Connor Phillips pitching a scoreless seventh, Sam Moll a scoreless eighth with one strikeout, and Luis Mey allowing one run on one hit while striking out two in the ninth.

The Reds’ offense pounded out 14 hits. Bleday and Hayes each had two hits, while McLain went 2 for 3 with a home run, a double and two RBIs. Myers drove in three runs with his home run. Trevino drove in two runs. De La Cruz had two hits and scored twice.

For Washington, the loss dropped its record to 21-23. The Nationals had won the first two games of the series 8-7 on Wednesday and 10-4 on Tuesday, but were unable to complete the sweep. Washington has lost five of its last seven games overall.

Cincinnati improved to 23-21, snapping a two-game losing streak. The Reds have won three of their last four games at Great American Ball Park.

The game was played in 2 hours, 27 minutes in front of an announced crowd of 22,651.

Washington pitchers combined for 22 strikes, 48 balls and 22 balls in play. Cincinnati pitchers combined for 16 strikes, 48 balls and 16 balls in play.

The Nationals will return home to host the Baltimore Orioles on Friday for a three-game series. The Reds will travel to Cleveland for a three-game set against the Guardians beginning Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington Nationals 4, Cincinnati Reds 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cincinnati with a 58.10 percent probability to win. Cincinnati had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 16 went under the over/under line of 8.